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Rookery Building
The building pictured in 2014
Rookery Building is located in Chicago Loop
Rookery Building
Rookery Building is located in Illinois
Rookery Building
Rookery Building is located in the United States
Rookery Building
Location209 South LaSalle Street
Chicago, Illinois
Coordinates41°52′44.7″N 87°37′55.6″W / 41.879083°N 87.632111°W / 41.879083; -87.632111
Built1888
ArchitectBurnham & Root; Frank Lloyd Wright; William Drummond; et al.
Architectural styleChicago school with Moorish, Byzantine, Venetian and Romanesque motifs
NRHP reference No.70000238 [1]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPApril 17, 1970
Designated NHLMay 15, 1975
Designated CLJuly 5, 1972

The Rookery Building is a historic office building at 209 South LaSalle Street in the Loop community area of downtown Chicago, Illinois, United States. Completed by architects Daniel Burnham and John Wellborn Root of Burnham and Root in 1888, it is considered one of their masterpiece buildings, and was once the location of their offices. The building is 181 feet (55 m) in height, twelve stories tall, and is considered the oldest standing high-rise in Chicago.[2] It features exterior load-bearing walls and an interior steel frame. Inside is a light court, which illuminates a two-story atrium lobby with ornamental stairs. The building is designated a Chicago Landmark, and it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a National Historic Landmark.

Edward C. Waller agreed to lease the site in 1885 for 99 years and hired Burnham and Root to design the building. The lobby was remodeled between 1905 and 1907 by Frank Lloyd Wright, and Wright assistant William Drummond remodeled the structure in 1931. The building was sold in 1982 to Continental Illinois, which cleaned the facade and resold it in 1989 to Baldwin Development. From 1989 to 1992, the lobby was restored to Wright's design. The building was resold twice in the 2000s; following the latter sale, the building was renovated yet again in the 2010s.

Architecture

[edit]

The Rookery is located at 209 South LaSalle Street in the Loop community area of downtown Chicago, Illinois, United States.[3][4] It was built by the architectural partnership of Daniel H. Burnham and John Wellborn Root, known as Burnham and Root.[5][4] The building, designed in the Chicago School architectural tradition,[6] is one of the few results of their partnership that is still standing.[7] While much of the Loop's 19th-century architecture has been demolished, the Rookery has been preserved and renovated over the years.[8]

In the architectural boom that followed the Great Chicago Fire, architects in what would become the Chicago School competed with each other to create the world's first true skyscrapers.[9] In their design for the building, Burnham and Root mixed modern building techniques, such as metal framing, fireproofing, elevators and plate glass, with traditional ones, such as brick facades and elaborate ornamentation.[10] At the same time, they intended their buildings to be commercially successful.[8] As the master artisan, Root drew upon a variety of influences in designing the interior and exterior spaces, including Moorish, Byzantine, Venetian and Romanesque motifs.[8]

Facade

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The Rookery Building rises 12 stories.[2][11] The marble, granite, terracotta, and brick facade of the building is a combination of Roman Revival and Queen Anne styles that embraced Richardsonian Romanesque architecture.[7][12] The facade is largely tinted in a reddish-brown hue.[13] The lower two stories are clad in rough-faced granite, with columns made of red granite, while the upper stories are clad with brick.[14] Thick blocks are used at the lower stories to give the facade the impression of sturdiness.[15] Birds are carved into the facade near the entrance, an allusion to the building's name.[16][17]

Structural features

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Looking up at the oriel staircase, designed by John Wellborn Root
A staircase in the light court

The structure uses a "floating" foundation—a reinforced concrete slab that provided the building's weight with a solid platform atop Chicago's notoriously swampy soil.[8] Root designed a grillage foundation, in which iron rails and the structural beams are combined in a crisscross pattern and encased in concrete to support the building's immense weight without heavy foundation stones.[2] This construction is particularly useful when structural loads are high compared to the natural bearing capacity of the soil.[18]

The building uses a combination of cast and wrought iron framing and masonry bearing walls.[19][11] This marked a transitional moment in a switch from masonry to steel skeleton structures,[2][20] and, according to the architectural critic Paul Goldberger, was a precursor to the steel frames of early skyscrapers.[21] The Landmarks Commission citation commends "development of the skeleton structural frame using cast iron columns, wrought iron spandrel beams, and steel beams to support party walls and interior floors".[22] Metal-framed perimeter walls are used only on two sides of the building,[11] and only on two floors; the rest of the walls are made of masonry.[2] This was because the developers had been concerned that the metal frames were not sturdy enough to hold up the building's weight.[11]

Interior

[edit]
The Rookery Building in 1891

Root and Burnham designed a two-story central light court to serve as the focal point for the entire building and provide daylight to interior offices.[8] The light court, clad in white terracotta,[23] provides natural illumination for the interior offices.[22][7] The skylight atop the light court is composed of 5,000 glass panes.[13] The lower stories also had a retail arcade, described in one source as the first indoor arcade in the U.S..[3]

The lobby originally had a mosaic-tile floor.[24][25] The lobby, redesigned by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1905, recast the entryway in his Prairie style,[26] with a simple, modern-style lighting design.[26][3] Wright's Rookery atrium is his only work on any building in the Chicago Loop,[26] as most of his work in the Chicago metropolitan area was in outlying neighborhoods or the suburbs.[27] Among Wright's most significant alterations was the addition of white marble with Persian-style ornamentation,[26][28] along with brownish steel and golden tracery.[28] These details added a sense of luxury to the lobby's steel-laden interior, marked by Burnham and Root's skeletal metal ribbing.[26] A curving, heavily ornamented double staircase winds upward from the lobby's second floor,[26][28] with ornamental urns at the bottom of the staircase.[29] A balcony wraps around the lobby on the second floor.[26][28]

Each of the upper floors covers 24,500 square feet (2,280 m2) and surrounds an open-air lightwell above the light court.[24] On the 11th floor is a library that originally belonged to Burnham and Root, who had been one of the building's tenants.[30][31] When completed, the building was served by a hydraulic elevator.[3] The building also has a semi-circular staircase west of the light court.[2]

History

[edit]

The city government obtained the site in 1852, at which point there was a reservoir there.[32] The name is variously cited as a reference to the pigeons that nested on the reservoir,[32] or the temporary city hall building that occupied the land afterward.[2][14] After the Great Chicago Fire, an interim structure was built to serve as the city hall, being constructed around a large water tank that had survived the fire. That building was nicknamed the "rookery", in reference to the crows and pigeons that flocked to its exterior,[17] as well as the alleged corrupt politicians it housed. Several other names were considered when the new structure on the site was proposed, but The Rookery won out, and birds, perhaps rook birds, appear in some of its decorative stonework.[8][33][22] This water tank once housed part of the Chicago Public Library's collection.[34]

Development and early years

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Edward C. Waller agreed to lease the site in 1885 for 99 years, paying $35,000 a year.[32] He hired the architectural partnership of Daniel H. Burnham and John Wellborn Root,[14] and Root hired a European artist, William Henry Burke, to create a mosaic tile floor for the Rookery.[25] The original owner was Peter Brooks, an investor based in Boston.[35][36] In the years preceding the Rookery's construction, Brooks had developed numerous buildings in the Loop dating back to 1879. Many of Brooks's developments were significantly taller than the other structures in the area, which were generally at most five stories high.[36] Brooks initially considered giving the building a Native American name before he decided on the "Rookery".[37]

The structure was completed in 1888.[5][4] Frank Lloyd Wright, a young architectural assistant working with Adler and Sullivan at the time of the Rookery's completion, later had his offices in the building.[26][38] Daniel Burnham was a friend of Wright patron Edward C. Waller, who managed the Rookery.[26] Burnham & Root had their offices at the Rookery for a while upon its completion,[2] as did the Northern Trust Company.[39] Another major tenant was the Illinois Trust & Savings Bank, which occupied the first floor; the bank and its successors, including the Continental Illinois National Bank and Trust Company, occupied the building for a century.[23] Architect Hermann V. von Holst, advertising agency J. Walter Thompson, and lawyer Clarence Darrow were also listed as early tenants,[38] as were the law office of Carter Harrison III and his son Carter Harrison IV; businessman Samuel Insull; and industrialist John Warne Gates.[21] A 1908 tenant directory listed six real-estate firms, in addition to such companies as travel agencies, pig iron manufacturers and cattle loan agencies.[38]

Contrasted with the original wrought iron surfaces (seen here), Wright's renovations significantly brightened the lobby's appearance
The Rookery's light court, redesigned by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1905, serves as a focal point for the building

Early 20th century

[edit]

From 1905 to 1907, Frank Lloyd Wright was hired to remake the interior spaces,[8][26] particularly the lobby and mezzanine.[40] In keeping with contemporary tastes, Wright's design covered Root's elaborate wrought iron finishes with white carved Carrara marble surfaces. Wright was highly regarded by the public at this point, and his changes brought enhanced status to the building, making the Rookery one of the most sought after buildings of Chicago.[8] Some of Wright's other changes included incorporating simplified ironwork and adding his trademark style planters and light fixtures.[2]

The second renovation was completed in 1931 by former Wright assistant William Drummond.[26][41] It modernized many of the interior elements, including new elevators, and brought period touches to the building, such as Art Deco detailing.[26] Drummond's design included the addition of a protruding staircase connecting the lobby floor and balcony.[41] Over the years, some of the glass roof tiles were dislodged.[35] In addition, the light court's roof was covered with tarpaper in the 1940s.[42] In the 1970s, the building's consulting architect added plants to enliven the interior spaces.[43]

1980s and 1990s renovations

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In 1981, the Chicago Plan Commission approved a plan to sell the building at auction. While the Chicago Department of Water and Sewers owned the underlying land,[44] the building itself was owned by a blind trust benefiting the University of Chicago.[14] At the time, the building's largest tenant was Continental Illinois, which occupied 25 percent of the space.[14] The city government began soliciting bids for the building in 1982, mandating that any potential buyer preserve the exterior and part of the interior; since the building was a city and national landmark, a potential buyer would be able to claim a preservation tax credit.[32] The city re-launched the bidding process after determining that none of the bids were high enough.[45] That October, the city sold the building for $15.1 million to Continental Illinois, which planned to spend up to $19 million on renovations[14] and use the building as office space, leasing out the space it did not occupy.[46] Continental Illinois began cleaning the facade in 1983;[47] this process involved using gasoline and hot water to remove 5 short tons (4.5 long tons; 4.5 t) of grime.[48] In addition, the windows were replaced or fixed, and a skylight was built above the 11th story.[23] When the cleaning was finished in 1984, the overall renovation was scheduled to cost $26.6 million.[46][48]

The second part of the renovation was to be deferred until May 1985, when the 99-year ground lease expired and Continental Illinois took over the site.[23] Continental Illinois evicted all other tenants in preparation for the renovation.[49][30] However, the bank subsequently eliminated its retail banking division[49] and left the building vacant.[30] Due to the bank's financial issues, the renovation was halted,[24][50] and the Rookery Building was placed for sale by 1987.[51] In early 1989, Continental Illinois sold the building for $28 million to Baldwin Development,[30] a firm led by the traders Thomas Baldwin and William Taki.[30][35] Baldwin later recalled that he had ignored another developer's advice against buying the Rookery.[24] The new owners announced plans to restore the building, converting 41,000 square feet (3,800 m2) on the two lower stories to a shopping mall, while using 267,000 square feet (24,800 m2) on the top ten stories as office space.[40] In addition, the spiral staircases and exterior decorations would be restored, and new mechanical systems would be installed.[35]

Work began in April 1989,[52] at which point the project was planned to cost more than $21 million.[30][49] The building's landmark status allowed Baldwin to qualify for a federal tax credit of up to 20% of the project's cost.[53] Baldwin hired Broadacre Development Company to oversee the renovation.[54][35] McClier Corp. was hired as the restoration architect, with Takayama & Associates and Hasbrouck Peterson Associates as consultants;[30][49] Gunny Harboe of McClier was the primary restoration architect.[24][55] Baldwin struggled to find an American bank to finance the renovation,[24][56] negotiating with representatives of more than 100 banks.[24] The Dutch firm NMB Vastgoed Fonds eventually agreed to finance the renovation in 1990.[57] The renovation restored many of the original decorations and reopened the light court's ceiling.[8][57] A replica of the original mosaic-tile lobby was added for $1 million,[24] and new elevators and a 12th floor were added.[29] Though the project involved restoring much of the building's 1888 appearance, elements of Wright's 1900s renovation and Drummond's 1930s renovation were also preserved.[13] After the project was formally completed in May 1992,[13] McClier won a preservation award from the American Institute of Architects.[58][59]

Mid-1990s to present

[edit]
A banner draped over the entrance references US Bank, a tenant, and the Blackhawks, Chicago's NHL team.

Due to a surplus of vacant office space in the Chicago Loop, there was initially uncertainty over whether the Rookery's offices could be leased out,[50] but 46 percent of the space had already been leased when the renovation was finished.[13] However, one real-estate broker received bids totaling 1.5 million square feet (140,000 m2), more than five times the amount of space available in the building.[60] By 1993, the building was 80 percent occupied, with 20,000 monthly visitors.[61] The building's office space was being rented for about $30 per square foot ($320/m2) in the mid-1990s, higher than most buildings in the area.[62] The lenders of the building's $77 million mortgage loan foreclosed on the loan in 1998,[63] and ING Bank took over the building the same year.[64] One of ING's subsidiaries, ING Clarion Partners, took over management.[64]

Although the building had hosted periodic tours, Clarion closed the atrium to the public following the September 11 attacks, citing security concerns.[17] UBS Brinson, a subsidiary of UBS, occupied about 140,000 square feet (13,000 m2) at the Rookery Building at the time;[65] after UBS moved out in 2002, its six floors were vacant for more than two years.[66] US Bank moved its regional headquarters there in 2003.[67][68] The building also underwent facade restoration in the mid-2000s, during which a piece of masonry fell off the facade.[69] ING placed the Rookery for sale in 2005,[64] at which point it was 80% occupied.[31] Broadway Real Estate Partners of New York bought the Rookery Building for $56 million from ING Clarion Partners in April 2006,[70][71] paying $29 million in cash and obtaining a $27 million loan.[72] At the time, the building was 65% occupied.[70] BREP had increased occupancy to 80% by January 2007,[71] and it placed the building for sale that March.[72]

The Rookery Building was sold in October 2007 for $73.4 million[73][74] to Rookery GP LLC, an investment group controlled by a German family.[75] By then, the building was nearly fully occupied,[71][74] with tenants such as the United States Department of Justice, the National Labor Relations Board, Brooks Brothers, Interactive Brokers, and US Bank.[70] The new owners announced plans for an extensive renovation of the building's common areas.[29][71] In 2011, Office for Visual Interaction completed the lighting design for the facade, illuminating the architectural features of the building with LED technology.[76] The Rookery Building achieved LEED Gold certification in 2014.[29][77] The next year, the restrooms were upgraded and a bike storage room was added.[29] Additionally, the elevators were updated with a destination dispatch system in 2017,[29][77] and the owners upgraded the HVAC system and added public Wi-Fi.[29]

Visitation

[edit]

The Frank Lloyd Wright Trust, which has maintained an office off the building's atrium since 2010,[78][79] provides tours of the interior on weekdays.[80] Inside Chicago Walking Tours offers daily walking tours that explore the interior of the Rookery in addition to other historic Chicago buildings.[81] The Chicago Architecture Foundation also provides tours twice a month.[82] By the late 2010s, the building had 100 to 200 daily visitors on average and was frequently used for special events such as weddings.[29]

Impact

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Reception

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When the building was completed, its lighting, elevators, fire-resistant materials, and other architectural features garnered praise.[29] Suzanne Avery of the Chicago Tribune said in 1965 that a news headline from 1888, referring to the Rookery as "A Great Office Building", was still relevant and that "at every turn, the building reveals a new and interesting aspect of itself".[83] In 1977, Paul Goldberger of The New York Times wrote that the Rookery was "one of Chicago's most warmly welcoming masonry structures", in part due to its light court and lobby.[21] Goldberger cited the architectural guide Chicago's Famous Buildings as saying that "it stands there like a strong-hearted and cheerful person".[21]

After the 1990s renovation, The New York Times called the Rookery "one of Chicago's most venerable buildings and a model of " the Romanesque style.[84] Kamin praised the 1990s renovation, saying it preserved the original design and subsequent modifications without "slavishly seeking to turn back the clock to a single date",[42] while other observers praised the juxtaposition of the light court and the stone facade.[3][85] A curator for the Chicago Architecture Foundation told USA Today in 1993 that the building "one of the most exuberant examples of late 19th-century commercial architecture".[86] One observer called it "vigorous yet airy" in 1999,[87] and another critic for the Chicago Tribune called the Rookery a "box of gaudy fun" the same year.[6] In a 1995 poll of Chicago Tribune readers, the Rookery Building won first place in the category "My Favorite Historic Property".[88] A writer for Gentlemen's Quarterly said in 2006 that the building "is a great time warp into late-nineteenth-century Chicago".[89]

Interior commentary

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The light court and lobby also received critical acclaim. "There is nothing bolder, more original, or more inspiring in modern civic architecture than its glass-covered court," wrote the critic Henry Van Brunt.[8] The New York Times referred to the lobby as "the Alhambra in its American incarnation as commercial real estate",[28] while a Financial Times reporter said the lobby was a result of "capitalism and architecture unit[ing] to yield great corporate statements".[90] The Times of Hammond, Indiana, wrote in 1987 that the structure was a "no-frills building" whose main architectural feature was the interior court,[91] while architectural critic Blair Kamin praised the "architectural symphony of lacy ironwork, swooping and coiling staircases, and gilded marble columns that intensify the play of natural light".[17] The lobby's design inspired that of another lobby designed by Burnham at 224 South Michigan Avenue, also in Chicago.[92]

Media and landmark designations

[edit]

The building was one of the first official landmarks designated by the Commission on Chicago Architectural Landmarks, the precursor to the modern Commission on Chicago Landmarks.[93] The first commission described the Rookery as having been notable for its steel frame and for the offices and stores around its atrium.[21] After the modern Commission on Chicago Landmarks hosted a hearing on designating the building as a Chicago Landmark in April 1972,[94] the landmark status was granted on July 5, 1972.[20] It was the first office building in the Loop to receive that designation[95] and was one of the last surviving buildings that had been part of La Salle Street's former financial district.[44] It was added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) on April 17, 1970, and re-added to the NRHP as a National Historic Landmark on May 15, 1975.[96]

The Rookery Building has been featured in multiple media works. It was featured in the film Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, in which the exterior and one of the lower levels were modeled as the toy store Duncan's Toy Chest.[97] The Rookery was used by Frank Norris in his novel The Pit as the site of the office of fictional financial speculator Curtis Jadwin,[2] and it was featured prominently in the 1987 film The Untouchables as the police headquarters of Eliot Ness.[98] In addition, the interior was depicted in a scene of the 2011 film Transformers: Dark of the Moon, standing in for an office at the Tribune Tower.[99]

See also

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References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Rookery Building

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
The Rookery Building is a 12-story historic located at 209 S. in Chicago's Loop neighborhood, at the corner of LaSalle and Adams streets. Designed by the architectural firm Burnham & Root—comprising Daniel H. Burnham and —and completed in 1888, it was one of the tallest buildings in the world at the time and represented a pioneering blend of load-bearing walls and skeletal metal frame construction. The building's name derives from the site, which served as a temporary "" for the city hall and after the of 1871, attracting pigeons to the area. Upon completion, the Rookery was hailed as the largest and finest office building in the United States, featuring innovative elements such as a "floating raft foundation" of iron rails embedded in , passenger elevators, fireproof , and electric . Its exterior showcases a lively mix of decorative influences, including late Roman, Venetian, Moorish, and medieval-European styles, while the interior centers on a dramatic skylit light court with white-glazed brick walls, an oriel staircase, and wrought-iron details. In 1905–1907, remodeled the lobby and light court, introducing elements like white marble, gold geometric patterning, and a that enhanced natural illumination throughout the structure. As a transitional in the evolution of , the Rookery exemplifies post-fire 's innovative spirit, was listed on the in 1970, and designated a Chicago Landmark on July 5, 1972. Today, it remains an iconic office building in the financial district, certified LEED Gold for , with high ceilings and in every office space.

Architecture

Exterior Design

The Rookery Building's exterior facade is characterized by a sturdy base that forms the ground level and lower stories, providing a solid foundation above which rise the upper levels clad in with intricate terra cotta detailing. This material combination creates a textured, durable surface that withstands Chicago's while allowing for elaborate ornamentation. The base features rusticated stonework, transitioning smoothly to the lighter upper stories accented by colorful terra cotta panels and moldings. Designed by the architectural firm Burnham & Root and completed in 1888, the building's aesthetic draws from a fusion of Romanesque Revival, Moorish, and Venetian styles, resulting in a picturesque and eclectic appearance uncommon for its era. Romanesque influences appear in the robust, rounded arches and heavy stonework, while Moorish and Venetian elements manifest in the delicate arabesque patterns, foliate motifs, and balconied projections that evoke ornamentation. Key architectural elements include prominent corner towers that rise vertically to emphasize the structure's height, grand arched entrances framed by piers, and ornate balconies that add filigree-like elegance to the facade. Originally 164 feet tall and comprising 11 stories upon completion in 1888, the current structure stands at 181 feet tall with 12 stories following the addition of an attic story in 1992. The design prioritizes verticality through rhythmic window groupings and spire-like terminations, yet incorporates expansive glazing to maximize admission to the interiors. This light-admitting approach on the exterior complements the central light court, ensuring illumination throughout the building.

Structural Innovations

The Rookery Building exemplifies early skyscraper engineering through its pioneering hybrid structural system, combining a steel skeleton frame with masonry walls. Designed by Daniel Burnham and John Wellborn Root, the interior steel and iron framing supported the building's weight, while the exterior masonry walls served primarily as cladding rather than load-bearing elements, enabling greater height and open interior spaces without the limitations of traditional all-masonry construction. This approach represented a significant advancement in Chicago School architecture, allowing for the 11-story structure completed in 1888. A notable innovation was the foundation, a "floating raft" or grillage system consisting of iron rails embedded in , which addressed Chicago's challenging conditions and supported the building's weight effectively. Fireproofing innovations were integral to the design, reflecting heightened safety standards following the of 1871. The building featured hollow tile floors and iron beams encased in plaster, which minimized fire risks by protecting structural elements from heat and flames. These techniques contributed to the Rookery's reputation as one of the first truly fire-resistant commercial high-rises, influencing subsequent building codes and practices in . A key structural solution for providing natural light to deep interior offices was the central light court, measuring 62 feet by 71 feet, which pierced the building's core and allowed daylight to penetrate multiple floors. This open well, framed independently of the exterior walls, optimized usable office space while addressing the challenges of illumination in tall, dense urban structures. Cast-iron elements were strategically integrated into the base and supporting framework, including columns and beams in the lower stories and light court, enhancing load distribution and stability. The facade's and terra cotta served as lightweight cladding over this and iron skeleton.

Interior Features

The central light court forms the core of the Rookery Building's interior, engineered to channel natural daylight deep into the structure through a hollow square plan. This two-story atrium, sheltered by a , features white-glazed walls that reflect light efficiently, promoting air circulation and a sense of openness. The floor is paved with hand-laid tiles in intricate patterns, providing both aesthetic appeal and practical durability for high-traffic areas. A dramatic glass-enclosed oriel , constructed of wrought and , spirals from the second to the twelfth floor, projecting into the court with repeating geometric motifs that enhance visual interest while preserving light flow. Original office layouts prioritize illumination and functionality, with spaces arranged around the light court in a configuration that allows every room access to natural light from either the exterior or the central well. High ceilings, up to 18 feet on the ninth and tenth floors, accommodate large undivided areas suitable for corporate tenants, while corridors are lined with white statuary wainscoting for elegance and ease of maintenance. Key materials include polished oak for door and window trim, veined for walls and accents, ornamental plaster for ceiling details, and subtle panels in office partitions to diffuse light and add privacy without obstructing views. These elements combine to create versatile, well-ventilated interiors that emphasize comfort in a commercial setting. Frank Lloyd Wright's 1905-1907 remodeling of the lobby and light court introduced prairie-style simplicity, replacing ornate Victorian ironwork with geometric patterns in gilded white cladding that unifies the space. The two-story lobby now showcases incised piers, chandeliers with angular designs, and decorative urns along the , removing excess ornamentation to heighten the play of light and shadow. This intervention preserves the court's daylight distribution while infusing modern restraint, evident in the clean lines of railings and fixtures that echo the building's innovative spatial organization. Typical floor plans feature a central hall flanked by offices on both sides, with the light court serving as the unifying axis for illumination across levels. The attic story additions expand usable space with flexible layouts, high ceilings, and continued emphasis on penetration, supporting contemporary office adaptations while honoring the original design principles.

History

Origins and Construction

In 1885, real estate developer Edward C. Waller leased a prominent site at 209 South LaSalle Street in Chicago's burgeoning financial district from the City of Chicago for 99 years, with the intention of erecting a modern office building to serve the area's growing needs for professional space. Waller commissioned the esteemed Burnham & Root, founded by Daniel H. Burnham and in 1873, to design the structure, reflecting the firm's rising prominence in post-Great Chicago Fire reconstruction efforts. The design process was spearheaded by , who produced initial sketches that emphasized fire-resistant materials and efficient light distribution, building on the firm's innovations in tall commercial architecture developed in the wake of the fire. These concepts shaped a multi-story edifice intended primarily for lawyers, bankers, and other financiers, maximizing usable office space while incorporating subtle Romanesque and Moorish stylistic elements in its ornamentation. Construction commenced with groundbreaking in 1886 under the supervision of general contractor , utilizing advanced techniques for the to ensure rapid progress amid Chicago's competitive building boom. The project reached completion in 1888, standing as an eleven-story at a total cost of approximately $1,500,000, which covered the extensive masonry, ironwork, and interior fittings required for its sophisticated layout. The building retained the site's longstanding nickname, "," derived from the dilapidated, bird-infested temporary tenements and shacks erected there , which had also served as informal roosts for politicians.

Early Modifications

Following its completion in 1888, the Rookery Building was promptly occupied by a range of tenants, including the architectural firm of , who established their offices within the structure to oversee ongoing projects. The building served as a prestigious address for financial and professional firms in Chicago's emerging Loop district, capitalizing on its innovative design and central location. By the late 1890s, notable architects like Frank Lloyd Wright had also taken space in the Rookery, renting offices there from 1898 to 1899 while working on commissions for clients such as the American Luxfer Prism Company. These early years saw minor adjustments to address initial settling from the building's grillage foundation, though the structure's engineering proved durable overall. The primary early alteration came in 1905–1907, when building manager Edward C. Waller commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright to renovate the two-story lobby and light court. Wright retained the spatial drama of John Root's original plan but streamlined its ornamentation, removing elaborate copper-plated iron grilles and replacing them with panels of white Carrara marble incised and gilded in Persian-inspired arabesque motifs. He further enhanced the space with new ornamental iron light fixtures suspended from the skylit ceiling, slender staircase railings, decorative urns, and a fresh coat of white paint on the exposed steel framework to amplify the influx of natural light. Funded by Waller at a cost reflecting the era's premium on modernization, this project introduced subtle prairie-style elements, such as geometric clarity and light emphasis, harmonizing with the building's core atrium concept. The 1929 stock market crash disrupted the local economy, resulting in temporary vacancies as financial tenants scaled back amid the Great Depression's onset. Despite this, the Rookery's reputation for quality space helped it retain core occupancy through the early 1930s.

Mid- to Late-20th Century Changes

In 1931, architect William Drummond, a former apprentice of , led a major renovation of the Rookery Building that introduced structural and functional updates to meet contemporary needs. This work included the addition of a 13th-floor attic for expanded , the replacement of Wright's original open staircases with enclosed stairwells to divide the two-story entrance lobby into separate floors, and the modernization of utilities through upgrades to electrical systems and the installation of electric elevators in place of the older hydraulic ones. In the post-war years through the 1950s and 1960s, it housed prominent financial firms, including the Continental Illinois National Bank and Trust Company as a major occupant, capitalizing on its location 's banking core to attract securities, insurance, and investment tenants. The building received Chicago Landmark designation on July 5, 1972, a milestone that spurred early conservation initiatives to safeguard its architectural integrity against the era's aggressive programs, which threatened historic structures with or . This status built on its 1970 listing in the and helped avert potential loss amid the city's push for modern infrastructure. Throughout the 1970s, the grappled with escalating maintenance challenges stemming from decades of wear, including water damage from a deteriorating over the light court that had been hastily tarred to stem leaks, leading to interior corrosion and structural vulnerabilities. These issues, compounded by the building's aging systems and the broader in downtown , heightened risks of prior to full enforcement of protections, prompting urgent stabilization measures to preserve its legacy.

21st-Century Preservation

In the early 1980s, the Rookery Building faced significant deterioration, prompting its acquisition by National Bank and Trust Co., which initiated facade cleaning efforts to address decades of neglect. This intervention built upon the building's designation as a Landmark in 1970, which facilitated access to preservation incentives. In 1989, the property was sold to Baldwin Development Company for $28 million, marking the start of a major restoration project from 1989 to 1992 that focused on rehabilitating the historic facade through cleaning and repairs, as well as interior restorations to preserve architectural details like the light court. The effort, costing approximately $92 million, transformed the structure into modern Class A while adhering to standards. Ownership changed hands multiple times in the mid-2000s amid a booming market. In April 2006, Broadway Real Estate Partners acquired the building for $56 million from previous owner Clarion Partners, at a time when occupancy stood at about 65 percent. The following year, in October 2007, it was sold again for $73.4 million to Rookery GP LLC, an entity representing European investors including a German family office. These transactions underscored the building's enduring value as a asset, with subsequent investments supporting ongoing maintenance. Management transferred to The John Buck Company in 2009. Preservation efforts in the emphasized and technological upgrades. In 2011, the facade received new LED designed by Office for Visual Interaction, which highlighted the building's red masonry and terracotta details without altering its historic appearance, enhancing its nighttime visibility in Chicago's Loop. The Rookery achieved Gold certification in 2014 under the U.S. Green Building Council's Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance , resulting from energy-efficient retrofits such as improved and systems that reduced operational impacts while maintaining historic integrity. The certification was recertified at Gold level on June 27, 2024, under v4.1 for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance. By 2017, the building underwent further modernization, including a full overhaul with destination dispatch and upgrades to the HVAC system to boost efficiency and comfort. These initiatives, part of broader renovations from 2015 to 2017, ensured compliance with contemporary building codes. As of 2025, the Rookery is managed by The John Buck Company, which has overseen it since 2009, including recent buildouts with modern fit-outs such as updated workstations and amenities to attract tenants.

Current Use and Visitation

Modern Operations and Tenants

The Rookery Building serves as a mixed-use property in Chicago's Loop district, accommodating a diverse array of professional tenants who seek the prestige of its historic address. As of 2025, it houses modern law firms, providers such as U.S. Bank, and ground-floor retail outlets like Potbelly restaurant, , Verizon, the Gift Shop, and Dean Optical. These tenants benefit from the building's central location in the Financial District, which supports high-profile operations in securities, , and sectors. Since the 2010s, tenancy has emphasized businesses drawn to the Rookery's architectural legacy, with ongoing to maintain occupancy amid broader market shifts and recent tenant relocations. Following the , Chicago's downtown office vacancy rates reached a record 28% as of November 2025, prompting flexible lease structures like net-rate agreements with operating expenses estimated at $20.15 per square foot for 2024. The Rookery has supported recovery through recent buildouts, including renovated corridors, restrooms, and spec suites, as well as ongoing elevator modernization with Otis’ Compass Destination Dispatch system, while multiple floor availabilities—ranging from approximately 5,700 to 14,500 square feet—indicate targeted leasing for law firms and tech-oriented spaces to attract returning workers. Sustainability efforts integrate with contemporary efficiency, highlighted by the building's v4.1 Gold recertification in June 2024 for its operations and maintenance. Key features include energy-efficient LED lighting, a 35% improvement in energy scores from upgrades, and modern systems for , alongside amenities like high-speed Class A telecom, in common areas, and the tenant-exclusive Burnham Library for collaborative work. Daily operations are managed by The John Buck Company, which oversees property maintenance, security via Otis destination-dispatch elevators, and partnerships for fitness access through nearby and W Marriott hotels, ensuring seamless functionality while honoring the building's original design.

Public Access and Tours

The lobby and light court of the Rookery Building are open to the public Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., with no hours on Sundays as of 2025. Visitors enter via the Adams Street door and must check in at the front desk. Guided tours provide in-depth exploration of the building's architecture, emphasizing Wright's 1905 redesign of the interior atrium and lobbies, as well as original features by . The Trust offers 45-minute tours of the light court for $15 and 60-minute tours including the Burnham Library for $20, scheduled Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; advance tickets are recommended via their website or by calling (312) 994-4000. The Chicago Architecture Center conducts 1-hour tours covering the exterior's Moorish influences, construction innovations, and renovation history for $15 per individual ticket ($5 for individual members and free for dual members and above), with schedules varying and the next available date as of November 2025 being December 11; check the website for current dates. The light court is available for private events and rentals, including weddings, corporate functions, holiday celebrations, and galas, accommodating up to 170 guests for seated dinners with a band and dance floor, 200 with a DJ, or 400 for cocktail receptions. Visitor guidelines include 24-hour manned security with required check-in and digital credentialing at the visitor desk to ensure safety. is permitted in the lobby using handheld cameras or phones for personal use, but tripods and equipment are prohibited to preserve the historic space; commercial photoshoots require advance permission via to the management. features encompass six passenger elevators and a sidewalk lift modernized in the , with ongoing updates to support inclusive visitation. The building's Gold certification, achieved in 2014 and recertified in 2024, underscores its commitment to sustainable operations that enhance eco-friendly public access.

Legacy and Recognition

Architectural Influence

The Rookery Building exemplifies early skeleton-frame construction in Chicago architecture, utilizing a hybrid system of masonry exterior walls reinforced with internal iron and steel supports to achieve greater height and openness than traditional load-bearing structures. This innovative approach, one of the first in Chicago, paved the way for fully skeletal high-rises by demonstrating how metal framing could distribute loads more efficiently while maintaining structural integrity. It directly influenced subsequent skyscrapers by the same firm, including the (1895), which evolved the concept into a more pronounced curtain-wall system with exterior metal framing, marking a key progression in the Chicago School's emphasis on vertical expression and reduced masonry reliance..pdf) Burnham & Root's design of the synthesized eclectic historical motifs—drawing from Romanesque, Venetian, Moorish, and Byzantine elements—with pragmatic modern engineering, creating a visually ornate yet functionally advanced office tower that impacted contemporary firms like Adler & Sullivan. John Wellborn Root's focus on maximizing through a central hollow-square plan and expansive glass-enclosed light court not only enhanced interior workspaces but also established a model for efficient, well-lit commercial environments in urban settings, influencing Sullivan's organic integration of form and function in later works. This emphasis on and spatial flow addressed the demands of dense offices, promoting healthier and more productive interiors amid Chicago's rapid vertical growth. The Rookery's legacy in lies in its promotion of verticality through terracotta ornamentation that accentuated height and its integration of light courts, which became a standard feature in dense metropolitan environments to combat shadows and improve circulation in clustered . Architectural critics of the , such as Montgomery Schuyler, lauded the building for the "Roman-largeness of its plan and the thoroughness with which it was carried out," highlighting its engineering artistry and bold originality as a benchmark for civic . Its designation as a in 1975 affirms this enduring influence on the evolution of the .

Landmark Status

The Rookery Building was designated a Chicago Landmark on July 5, 1972, by the Commission on Chicago Landmarks, recognizing its architectural merit as a transitional structure in the evolution of that combines load-bearing masonry walls with skeletal frame . This designation highlighted the building's powerful exterior, featuring lively ornamentation detailed by architect of the firm Burnham & Root, who designed the original structure completed in 1888. On April 17, 1970, the building was added to the (NRHP) as an individual listing, acknowledging its historical significance in Chicago's commercial development. It was further elevated to (NHL) status on May 15, 1975, by the U.S. Department of the Interior, with the nomination emphasizing Burnham and Root's pioneering contributions, including structural innovations like cast-iron and stone elements for ribbon windows, a skeletal frame, and a central glass-covered light court that maximized natural light and space in a multi-story office building. These protections played a key role in averting demolition threats in the early 1970s amid urban redevelopment pressures. The building has received additional preservation honors, including a Honor for its comprehensive restoration, which preserved its historic integrity while adapting it for contemporary use. It also earned a Distinguished Building from AIA for the restoration work led by preservation architects.

Cultural Depictions

The has appeared in several notable films, serving as a quintessential landmark in cinematic depictions of the city's and urban landscape. In Brian De Palma's 1987 crime drama The Untouchables, the building's exterior on South stands in for the Prohibition-era police headquarters, capturing the grandeur of 1930s during a key scene overlooking the financial district. Similarly, in the 1992 family comedy Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, the Rookery's ornate facade at 209 South was used for the exterior of Duncan's Toy Chest, blending its historic elegance with the film's festive narrative despite the New York setting. In literature and architectural documentation, the Rookery is prominently featured as a pivotal example of late-19th-century innovation, particularly through its association with 's 1905 interior redesign. Neil Levine's The Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright (1996) devotes sections to the building's light court transformation, highlighting Wright's use of and ornamentation to modernize the space while preserving its structural integrity. Jay Pridmore's The Rookery: A Building Book from the Chicago Architecture Foundation (2003) further chronicles its evolution, including Wright's contributions and subsequent restorations, positioning it as a symbol of 's architectural resilience in illustrated histories. The building maintains a presence in modern media, particularly through educational content and social platforms that emphasize its ongoing cultural relevance. It is showcased in the PBS documentary series Chicago Tours with Geoffrey Baer (2023 episode), where architecture critic Blair Kamin explores its light court as a "surprise" of airy elegance amid the dense Loop district. The Chicago Architecture Center, affiliated with the , produces videos and reels on guided tours, including 2025 content detailing its adaptation for contemporary office use while preserving historic features. For instance, a October 2025 Instagram reel from architectural firms highlights the Rookery's revival as a hybrid workspace, blending aesthetics with modern functionality. Symbolically, the Rookery represents Chicago's resilience and post-Great rebirth, often invoked in cultural narratives of urban endurance. The Trust describes it as a testament to the city's "creative spirit" in late-19th-century , underscoring its role in exhibits on Chicago's built heritage at institutions like the . Though art installations directly inspired by the building are limited, it has been the focus of notable photographic exhibits, such as those in the Chicago Center's collections, which capture its intricate and atrium as emblems of American ingenuity. The structure's connection to Wright's fame has further amplified its visibility across these depictions.

References

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